The Present Disclosure relates generally to plug connectors, and more particularly to plug connectors with an improved wire termination aspect. The technology industry is ever growing and the need for more technology infrastructure, such as more routers and servers, exists in order to utilize internet access to its full capability.
Routers and servers and storage machines are interconnected by high speed connector assemblies in the form of cables having connectors, typically plug connectors, which are terminated to their ends. These connectors are designed for high speed data transmission and typically include a cable that holds a plurality of pairs of twin-axial wires. Twin-axial wires have two signal transmission wires that cooperatively transmit differential signals. A ground or drain wire is associated with each such pair and the twin-axial wires and a drain wire comprise each such signal transmission pair. The twin-axial wires are small and fragile and must be separated from the cable, termed “breakout” in preparation for termination. Care must be taken during termination of the twin-axial wires to the connectors so as not to bend, and consequently break the wires.
Furthermore, it is common to have the inner wires of the cable extend along a preselected length during termination which is unsupported. This requires the use of a jig specifically configured to provide support for the wires and to hold them in a desired orientation for their termination to the edge card of the connector. The need for specialized equipment also increases the cost of the connector and even with the jig, the wires are terminated to the edge card in an unsupported state and then a supporting plastic or other moldable material is injected around them and portions of the paddle card, after the termination of the cable wire pairs to the edge card. Hence, there presently appears not to be any reliable way of orienting and supporting the cable wires in a desirable orientation prior to the termination thereof to the connector edge card.
The Present Disclosure is directed to a structure that solves the aforementioned problems by providing a means to orient the cable wires, in sets or pairs in a generally horizontal orientation for termination to an edge card and for supporting the wires during termination in a manner so as to reduce the likelihood of damage to the wires of the wire joints as the wire conductors are soldered to the edge card.